Cold and Flu Season is Here

With winter here, it’s only right to talk about the inevitable fevers, runny noses, and just being miserably sick.

Plain ol’ soap and water is more than enough to wash off all those pesky germs. It also prevents transmission of germs from other people to yourself.

If your immune system is even the tiniest bit compromised, the cold virus will find you and take full advantage. Chronic stress, a poor diet, and other factors weaken the immune system.

Over the Counter cold care only masks the problem.

Mix healing oils like Cypress, Grapefruit, or  Lemon with a carrier oil and massage into the bottoms of feet to help your body cleanse itself of pathogens and other toxic compounds.

Add several drops of oils like Thyme, Sage, Lavender, Lemongrass, and Grapefruit into a bowl of warm water (steaming, but not boiling.) Close your eyes and lower your face over the bowl with a towel draped over the back of your head and covering the sides of the bowl to trap the steam. Inhale deeply for several minutes to allow the vapors from the oil to cleanse your airways.

KidCare Sniffle Stop

Helps keep your child’s respiratory tract and head clear when they are sick.

I was skeptical to see if this would work as well as the adult blend. Well what a lovely surprise! I use it even on my myself and I love that I can use it guilt free on my children.

Worked very well on my 5 year old. He was sniffly and slightly congested. I did two applications of this and one of Germ Buster and by the next morning he had no more sniffles. This is my little guy that as soon as he gets a sniffle it tries to go into RSV like symptoms….so this was a huge relief.

Drop a bit of Cypress, Peppermint, or Eucalyptus oil under your pillow before bed each night to help reduce coughing while you’re trying to sleep.

There's something very personal and meaningful about a gift that you took the time to make yourself. This year, try a simple, natural and sustainable Christmas with homemade, natural and DIY Christmas Gifts.

Below are a few of my favorite homemade gift ideas and some suggestions for some simple gift baskets.

Homemade healing lip salve

This recipe is something to help with dry lips after gardening or being outside in wind/snow but you don’t want color, shine, or scent.

This recipe is also great for guys and for kids as it isn’t brightly colored or strongly scented. This recipe incorporates optional healing herbs that help heal and protect the lips, but you can leave these ingredients out to have an unscented and simply moisturizing version.

The herbal ingredients are naturally moisturizing, antibacterial, and anti-fungal, and some people have success with using it to speed healing of cold sores. It doesn’t contain petroleum or chemicals like most commercial lip products so you can feel safe using it on yourself of your kids.

Lip Balm Ingredients

• 1 cup of olive or almond oil

• 1 teaspoon echinacea root (optional)

• 1 teaspoon comfrey leaf

• 1 teaspoon plantain leaf

• 1 teaspoon calendula flowers

• 1 teaspoon yarrow essential oil

• 1 teaspoon rosemary essential oil

• grapefruit seed extract or vitamin E oil

• Peppermint essential oil

• 1/4 cup beeswax pastilles

• 5-10 drops of Peppermint essential oil 

Infuse the herbs into the olive oil. There are two ways to do this. You can either combine the herbs and the olive oil in a jar with an airtight lid and leave 3-4 weeks, shaking daily OR heat the herbs and olive oil over low/low heat in a double boiler for 3 hours (low heat!) until the oil is very green. You can also omit this step completely, or just a drop of each of the essential oils instead.

1. Strain the herbs out of the oil by pouring through a cheesecloth. Let all the oil drip out and then squeeze the herbs to get the remaining oil out.

2. Discard the herbs.

3. Heat 1/4 cup of the infused oil in a double boiler with the beeswax until melted and mixed. (save the extra oil for use on wounds/cuts or for another batch of lip salve).

4. Pour into small tins, glass jars or lip chap tubes and use on dry or chapped lips.

Sugar Scrub

Sugar scrubs can be used on face, body, and (especially) feet, for silky skin. You can add endless ingredients for your desired outcome, and they take under ten minutes to make.

Your skin renews itself about every 30 days. If the old cells remain on the surface and build up, they can contribute to a flat, dull appearance, blemishes, and scaling. Exfoliation also helps improve the penetration of your other skin products.

If you notice your skin health worsening during winter and fall, it’s actually because - as the weather gets colder and the humidity levels drop, more cells dry out and accumulate on the surface… They need to be removed to uncover smooth, fresh skin

Sugar Scrub Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sugar (white or brown sugar)

• 1/2 cup oil (olive oil and coconut oil work great)

• Optional: essential oils of your preference

Mix all ingredients and store in an air tight jar.
Use 1 tablespoon as needed in the shower. Scrub skin with the mixture and rinse  it will leave your skin feeling like silk.

• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon beeswax
• 10 drops essential oil
• 2 tablespoons distilled water

Add the coconut oil to a small mixing bowl that's either safe to use in the microwave or fits over a small saucepan to create a double boiler. Coconut oil creates a smooth slightly sweet-smelling lotion that's also high in antioxidants, which is great for your skin. Grate and add the beeswax to the bowl.


Place the bowl in the microwave and heat for short bursts until melted, stirring after each heating. Or place the bowl over a small saucepan filled half way with water and melt over medium heat.

Once the coconut oil and beeswax have melted, carefully place on a folded towel and add your favorite essential oil. Or use rosemary essential oil, which adds an earthy scent to the lotion and helpful antibacterial properties. Let the mixture cool for 10-minutes.

Now emulsify with the addition of one to two tablespoons water and the help of a hand blender. Don't have one? Add the mixture to a blender and pulse until the lotion is the consistency of thick pudding.
Use a small funnel or spouted measuring cup to pour into a container and your homemade lotion is finished! Store out of sunlight for best results.

• Reducing muscle aches
• Improving circulation
• Better nutrient absorption
  
• Headache Relief
• Speed up wound healing
• During illness, especially respiratory illness
• For children to help mineral absorption and improve sleep
• For acne, eczema or other skin problems
• For joint pain relief
• To help relieve poison ivy or skin reactions
• Improving skin hydration

Ingredients
2 cups epsom salts
½ cup baking soda
¼ cup sea salt (optional)
30 drops Lavender
10 drops of Peppermint

 

Christmas Joy Essential Oil Blend

Joy  Peace  Happiness  Security